Deputy Director, Andrew Crowe, introduced Scholarship Prep’s innaguarl Staff of the Year Awards. Scholarship Prep's core values are scholarship, equity, and empowering partnerships. As part of this commitment, the organization launched its inaugural Staff Member of the Year award. The selection process included peer nominations and evaluation by a voting panel. Winners from each site have been recognized at their site, and their achievements were formally acknowledged during the Board meeting yesterday their principal. 

Principal Elizabeth Stone, along with the current ASB members, provided the campus update. Topics covered included the second semester elective showcase, testing, the newly hatched chicks in Mrs. Frey’s class, the Chapman University Holocaust Writing Contest, the fourth through sixth grade Faces of History Live Wax Museum, Mental Health Awareness Month, the students versus staff soccer game next Monday, and the upcoming semester awards.

Executive Director, Jason Watts, provided the organization update to the Board.

Riverside Site Construction

• Construction is progressing well and remains on track for at least a partial opening in Fall.
• A full site completion by Fall is still possible but uncertain until mid-June, pending critical components like electricity.

Upland Site

• The Conditional Use Permit (CUP) was successfully upheld by the City Council (5–0 vote), following a prior 7–0 Planning Commission approval.
• The next step in the facility acquisition process is ongoing. Further details regarding the acquisition will be discussed in closed session.

Enrollment Efforts

• Active neighborhood canvassing is ongoing in both Upland and Riverside areas.
• Initially conducted 5 days/week, now scaled to 3 days/week.
• Outreach includes door-to-door efforts and coordinated follow-up with interested families.
• Enrollment is steadily increasing as a result.

Upcoming Reports & Facility Projects

• The Orange County Department of Education oversight visit report will be presented in detail at the June board meeting.
• Assembly Bill updates that may impact Scholarship Prep will also be discussed in June.
• Anticipated facility improvement projects for South Bay and Oceanside may come forward for board approval in June, with some minor updates possible at other sites.

Charles inquired about the May Revise and if there is any news to share. Jason responsed that some positive updates are anticipated, particularly one benefiting the Oceanside campus, but detailed budget discussion will occur during the budget update segment.

Tracy Haberman at Charter Impact provided the Financial update. This presentation included updates and highlights for the Oceanside, Orange County, and South Bay school sites as well as an update on all bond covenants, which are all projected to be met.

Budget Assumptions and Planning

• Enrollment and ADA projections established for the next 5 years using conservative attendance estimates.
• COLA confirmed at 2.3% in the May Revise.
• Budget built collaboratively with leadership, accounting for enrollment, initiatives, LCAP targets, and historical trends.
• Adjustments include: staffing changes, step increases, operational/vendor updates, and one-time expense exclusions.
• Budget process remains iterative with ongoing updates based on expenditures and legislation.

Facility Projects in Development

• OC: HVAC and flooring
• Oceanside: HVAC, playground, and classroom partitions
• South Bay: Gym and exterior fencing
• Riverside/Upland: Facility work pending final enrollment and site use decisions

May Revise Key Updates

• Transitional Kindergarten (TK) LCFF rate increased to $5,455 per student (up from approx. $3,000).
• Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP): Oceanside now qualifies for the higher funding tier ($2,750 per student) due to a reduced UPP threshold.
• New Discretionary Block Grant: $305 per ADA for student support and professional development.
• Universal Meals: Continues, but completion of free/reduced meal applications or alternative forms remains crucial for maintaining eligibility in various funding programs.

Charles requested clarification regarding the confidence in the COLA figure, and Tracy confirmed that she are confident that it will stay at the figure. 

Andrew Crowe presented an LCAP summary for each campus. He noted that the goals and actions for the next three years.

Background: California’s Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) provides additional funding for foster youth, English learners, and low-income students. Schools must outline how these funds are spent through the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP), which operates on a three-year cycle. The current cycle runs through 2026–27.

Stakeholder Engagement: Input was gathered via surveys and meetings with families, students, staff, and administrators. Goals remain consistent across all campuses: Access for All, Success for All, and Belonging for All—aligning with the State’s 8 educational priorities.

Orange County (OC): OC campus was identified for Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI) due to declining performance among students with disabilities. A comprehensive plan is in place, including new special education staff, increased training, and collaboration with the Orange County Department of Education. OC will remain in TSI status for three years.

Charles asked if staff staffing an issue, and Andrew stated that the number of staff is not an issue, but making sure that we have trained staff is.
 

Oceanside & South Bay: Neither campus has been flagged for TSI. They continue to follow the standard LCAP process with strong stakeholder engagement. Charles also asked if the authorizers have different expectations. Andrew stated that they do not, the state sets out what has to be in there. 

Riverside & Upland (New Campuses): These schools will begin operations in the fall. Since there is no baseline data yet, the initial LCAPs will focus on planned expenditures, with stakeholder input gathered during enrollment and intake sessions. Baselines will be established after the first year of operation.

Next Steps: A detailed review of LCAP goals, spending, and progress toward targets will be presented at the June board meeting. Final documents for each school will range from 60–90 pages.

The Board entered the closed session at 2:49pm.

Board Chair, Charles Friedrichs, reported out of close session at 3:06 pm. There was nothing to report out of closed session.